Biography

Multi-instrumentalist John Nastos was born and raised in Portland, Oregon, where he found his love of music while exploring the vibrant local music scene.

Before graduating from high school, John enrolled at Portland State University, where he studied with Alan Jones, Darrell Grant, and other Portland jazz luminaries. During that same year, he started performing with the Mel Brown Septet, the Gordon Lee Big Band, and other professional Portland groups.

In 2004, Nastos graduated from high school and moved to New York City on a scholarship to study jazz at the acclaimed Manhattan School of Music. At MSM, John studied saxophone and composition with Dick Oatts (Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchrestra), Bob Mintzer (Yellowjackets), Steve Wilson (Chick Corea), and Mike Abene (WDR Big Band). In 2007, John completed the four-year degree program in just three years.

Since returning to Portland, John has performed with the who’s who of the Portland scene, including the Bobby Torres Ensemble, the Portland Soul All-Stars, the Third Angle New Music Ensemble, Darrell Grant’s On the Territory, and the Damian Erskine Project. He has recorded with Intervision, Ben Darwish’s Commotion, the Drew Shoals Collective, and others.

Recently, Nastos’s composition, arranging, and compositional skills have been commissioned for performances and recordings by Damian Erskine, the Bobby Torres Ensemble, the Art Abrams Swing Machine, and Pink Martini (for performances with the San Francisco Symphony).

Nastos maintains a busy performing, recording, and teaching schedule around the Portland area. He is also currently part of Diane Schuur’s touring group, playing performances around the world.

John Nastos performs on: soprano, alto, tenor, and baritone saxophones, Bb and bass clarinets, flute, piccolo, and EWI (Electronic Wind Instrument)

 

Equipment list:

Alto saxophone: Selmer Super Balanced Action or Mark VI with a Meyer 8M mouthpiece and Rico Royal 3 reed

Tenor saxophone: Selmer Super Balanced Action with a Springer .120 mouthpiece and Rico Royal 3 reed

Soprano saxophone: Antigua Winds with a Meyer 7M mouthpiece and Rico Royal 3 reed

Baritone saxophone: Yamaha 23 with a Eugene Rousseau mouthpiece and a Rico Royal 5 reed

Clarinet: Buffet R13 with a Vandoren M30 mouthpiece and Vandoren 3 reed

Bass clarinet: LeBlanc with a Vandoren B45 mouthpiece and Legere reed

Flute: Sankyo Solid Silver

Piccolo: Yamaha 23

EWI: EWI4000S